Methods of forming wire bonds for semiconductor constructions

1. A method of forming a wire bond for a semiconductor construction, comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate having a wire bonding region; providing a stepped electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material at least partially around the wire bonding region, the stepped electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material having a first region proximate the wire bonding region and a second region laterally further from the wire bonding region than first region; the second region being laterally spaced from the wire bonding region by a distance which includes at least a lateral width of the first region; the first region having a first elevational height, and the second region having a second elevational height which is above the first elevational height; the second region being joined to the first region through multiple steps; and forming a wire bond to the wire bonding region with a capillary having a lateral width less than the distance from the wire bonding region to the second region of the electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material, the capillary being brought to a closest distance to the substrate during the wire bonding with said closest distance being above the first elevational height and below the second elevational height.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second elevational height is from about 2 microns to about 20 microns above the first elevational height.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second elevational height is at least about 4 microns above the first elevational height.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material comprises polyimide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material consists essentially of polyimide.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material consists of polyimide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first region of the electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material extends entirely around the wire bonding region.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first region of the electrically-insulative-radiation-imageable material does not extend entirely around the wire bonding region.

9. A method of forming a wire bond for a semiconductor construction, comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate comprising a metal-containing layer; forming a radiation-imageable material of substantially uniform thickness over the metal-containing layer; exposing the radiation-imageable material to a pattern of radiation, the radiation changing the solubility of the radiation-imageable material in a developing solvent, the pattern comprising moderate intensity regions interposed between high intensity regions and low intensity regions; a first portion of the radiation-imageable material being exposed to the high intensity regions, a second portion of the radiation-imageable material being exposed to the moderate intensity regions, and a third portion of the radiation-imageable material being exposed to the low intensity regions; after exposing the radiation-imageable material to the pattern of radiation, exposing the radiation-imageable material to the solvent to form a multi-level pattern in the radiation-imageable material, the first, second and third portions of the radiation-imageable material being removed to a first extent, second extent and third extent, respectively, by the solvent, the second extent being less than the first extent and greater than the third extent; utilizing the patterned radiation-imageable material as a mask to define a wiring bond region of the metal-containing layer; and forming a wire bond to the wiring bond region, the forming of the wire bond comprising pressing a wire against the wiring bond region with a tool, the tool having a footprint where it is proximate the wiring bond region, the third portion of the radiation-imaging material being offset beyond said footprint of the tool by the combined first and second portions of the patterned radiation-imaging material.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first extent to which the first portion of the radiation-imageable material is removed by the solvent is removal of substantially an entirety of the first portion.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the third extent to which the third portion of the radiation-imageable material is removed by the solvent is substantially zero removal of the third portion.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiation-imageable material comprises polyimide.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiation-imageable material consists essentially of polyimide.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiation-imageable material consists of polyimide.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein: the substrate comprises an electrically-insulative cap over the metal-containing layer; the first extent to which the first portion of the radiation-imageable material is removed by the solvent is removal of substantially an entirety of the first portion to form a patterned opening through the remaining radiation-imageable material; and the utilizing the patterned radiation-imageable material as a mask comprises conducting an etch which extends the patterned opening through the electrically-insulative cap to the metal-containing layer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the removal of the second portion of the radiation-imageable material to the second extent leaves a recessed remainder of the second portion over the substrate at the initiation of the etch, and wherein the etch does not remove a substantial entirety of such recessed remainder.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the removal of the second portion of the radiation-imageable material to the second extent leaves a recessed remainder of the second portion over the substrate at the initiation of the etch, and wherein a substantial entirety of such recessed remainder is removed by the etch.

18. A method of forming a wire bond for a semiconductor construction, comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate comprising a metal-containing layer and an electrically insulative cap over the metal-containing layer; forming a polyimide-containing layer of substantially uniform thickness over the electrically insulative cap; exposing the polyimide-containing layer to a pattern of radiation, the radiation changing the solubility of the polyimide-containing layer in a developing solvent, the pattern comprising moderate intensity regions interposed between high intensity regions and low intensity regions; a first portion of the polyimide-containing layer being exposed to the high intensity regions, a second portion of the polyimide-containing layer being exposed to the moderate intensity regions, and a third portion of the polyimide-containing layer being exposed to the low intensity regions; after exposing the polyimide-containing layer to the pattern of radiation, exposing the polyimide-containing layer to the solvent to form a multi-level pattern in the polyimide-containing layer, the first portion of the polyimide-containing layer being substantially entirely removed by the solvent, the third portion of the polyimide-containing layer being substantially not removed by the solvent, and the second portion of the polyimide-containing layer being partially removed by the solvent so that the second portion is reduced in thickness relative to the third portion; utilizing the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer as a mask while forming an opening through the cap and to the metal-containing layer; and forming a wire bond within the opening.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the thickness of the third portion of multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer is at least about 2 microns greater than the thickness of the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the thickness of the third portion of multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer is at least about 4 microns greater than the thickness of the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the cap comprises one or both of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the polyimide-containing layer consists essentially of polyimide.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the polyimide-containing layer consists of polyimide.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein: the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer extends at least partially around the opening; and the wire bond is formed with a capillary having a lateral width less than a distance from the wire bond to the third region of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer extends entirely around the opening.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer extends entirely around the opening and has a different lateral thickness along one portion of the opening than along another portion of the opening.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer extends only partially around the opening.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein: the second portion of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer extends entirely around the opening; and the wire bond is formed with a tool having a lateral footprint proximate the wire bond less than a distance to the third region of the multi-level patterned polyimide-containing layer.